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August 19, 2015

...time enough for all the wonderful things

Felled by a summer cold! My last camping weekend "up north of the tension line" was a little more low key than I had planned, as I seem to have developed one of those energy zapping summer bugs. But we still managed to have a terrific time--one of my sons and his girlfriend joined us for a couple of days, so we had a lot of fun seeing Door County through her eyes as a first time visitor.

That meant, of course, we had the chance to show off our favorite state and county parks, favorite theater group, favorite place to watch the sunset, and of course, favorite ice cream place!

In case you are wondering--our choices were butter pecan (Phil), peppermint stripe (Sunny), root beer float (Jason) and I had my favorite-strawberry!

We were all amazed at how clear Lake Michigan was, even in mid-August. We visited Cave Point County Park on the lake side of the peninsula, followed by a quick visit to Whitefish Dunes State Park.

We checked out our favorite in-park lighthouse...

and thoroughly enjoyed a charming new family musical at Northern Sky Theater, which is also located right in the park. It was a rollicking tale of two char-crossed lovers, the Montagues and the Capps, dueling over whose recipe would take top honors at the Verona (WI) International Ribfest Festival. Fortunately, Ronnie and Julie's relationship had a far happier ending than their original namesakes. I'm not sure what Shakespeare would have thought, but we all agreed it was a lot of fun!

We also experienced the most magnificent sunset of the summer--nothing short of breathtaking. Literally. A small group had gathered at Eagle's Bluff for this nightly ritual, and you could have heard a pin drop as we watched the sun slip silently away behind the horizon. Then we all clapped and cheered and headed back to the campsite for our much anticipated s'mores and cherry pie!

I am sharing one of Mary Oliver's beautiful poems today, Patience. She so eloquently puts in words some of the thoughts and feelings I experience when I am relaxed and enjoying my time in the woods. It feels good to stop "hurrying everywhere" and take the time to do at least a few "wonderful things" of my own.

What is the good life now?Why,

look here, consider

the moon's white crescent

rounding, slowly, over

the half month to still another

perfect circle-

the shining eye

that lightens the hills,

that lays down the shadows

of the branches of the trees,

that summons the flowers

to open their sleepy faces and look up

into the heavens.

I used to hurry everywhere,

and leaped over the running creeks.

There wasn't

time enough for all the wonderful things

I could think of to do

in a single day. Patience

comes to the bones

before it take root in the heart

as another good idea.

I say this

as I stand in the woods

and study the patterns

of the moon shadows,

or stroll down into the waters

that now, late summer, have also

caught the fever, and hardly move

from one eternity to another.

May we all take time to slow down a bit today and experience the good life!